Successive non-interference signal box



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. W. COLE.

SUGGESSIVE NON-INTERFERENCE SIGNAL BOX. No. 445,800. Patented Feb. 3',18911..

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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSl1eet 2. F. W. COLE. SUGOESSIVE NON-INTERFERENCESIGNAL BOX. No. 445,800.

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Patented Feb. 3,1891.

I've/0219mm W7 UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

FREDERICK W. COLE, OF NEWVTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOMOSES G. CRANE, OF SAME PLACE.

SUCCESSIVE NON- INTERFERENCE SIGNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 445,800, dated February3, 1891. Application filed May 31, 1890- Serial No. 353,845. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. Conn, of Newton, county of Middlesex,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in SuccessiveNon-lnterference Signal-BoXes,

of which the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawingsrepresentinglike parts.

This invention has for its object to improve the construction ofnon-interference fire-alarm boxes.

I11 accordance with this invention a motor mechanism, starting-lever,and actuating-1e I 5 ver are employed, the starting-lever havingsuitable, means by which when raised it will be held in elevatedposition until the signaling mechanism has operated. A non-interferencemagnet is also employed, the armazo ture of which has a lockingprojection, and a locking-lever is provided, which is acted upon by thestarting-lever and which co-operates with the locking projection of thearmature of the non-interference magnet, said locking- 2 5 levercontrolling the signaling-train. Means are also provided for returningthe parts to their normal position just as or before the signalingmechanism is brought to rest.

Figure 1 shows in front elevation the sig- 0 naling mechanism of afire-alarm box embodying this invention; Fig. 2, an end View of thesignaling mechanism shown in Fig.1; Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9, details tobe referred to, and Figs. 7 and 8 modifications to be re- 3 5 ferred to.

The main framework comprises the side plates (1 a. A shaft a isjournaled in the frame-work, upon which the main spring a is wound, saidshaft having mounted upon it the driving-pinion a A ratchet wheel (notshown) is fixed to the shaft aiand a pawl is fixed to the face of thedriving-wheel a so that as the shaft is turned in one direction thespringwill be wound, which acts when 5 released to drive the motormechanism. The drivingwheel a meshes with a pinion a (see dotted lines,Fig. 1,) fixed to a shaft afljournaled in the frame-work. A toothedwheel a is also fixed to the shaft a, which meshes with a pinion a",fixed to a shaft a journaled in the framework. An escape-wheel a isfixed t0 the shaft a with which co-operates the pallet a.

The starting or main controlling lever b is pivoted to the frame-work atb, and has a 5 pin b which enters a cut-away portion or notch in aflange having, as herein shown, two such cut-away portions or notches. Aspring 79 is employed to normally hold the starting-lever b inengagement with the driv- 6o ing-wheel a and a pin 12 near the outer endof said lever, striking on the frame or other fixed part, limits itsmovement in the direction of the force of the spring. A pivoted arm oractuatinglever c is employed to lift the starting-lever. A prop c isprovided for holding the starting-lever in its elevated position, or inposition to allow the train to op-. erate, it being represented in Figs.1 to 4 as pivoted to the front side of the starting-lever. The outer orlower end of the prop bears against a projection or shoulder 50, formed011 the frame or other part, and a spring 0 presses on the prop, actingto throwsaid prop over upon the shoulder 50, as shown by dotted lines,Fig. 1, and full lines, Fig. 3, when the starting-lever is lifted, tothereby hold the lever in its elevated position. The startinglever, whenonce moved by the actuating-1ever to start the train, will thus be heldin suspension or propped up until the said prop is restored to itsnormal position. Near the outer end of the starting-lever a pin 2 issecured, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) upon which. bears one end of a spring(Z,the opposite end of which spring is attached to a locking-lever e,fixed to a shaft 6. This spring d is bent," as shown, so that when itsouter or free end is lifted the lever e will be moved toward the left,rocking the shaft 6. An armz'is secured to said shaft e, which engages apin 2" on the escape-wheel to hold the train at rest. The locking-leverc has a pin 6 at its upper end, which is adapted to engage a shoulderformed on a projection c on the armature e of the 5 non-interferenceelectro-magnet c The armature is herein shown as an angular bar pivotedat 6, although any other form may be employed. The non interferencemagnet e is included directly in the signaling-circuit. I00 A sector fis secured to or controlled by the armature e", which engages atoothedwheel f,

fixed to a shaft f A ratchet-wheel f is also fixed to saidshaft f whichis engaged by a pawl f secured to the face of an escapewheel f mountedloosely on the shaft, a suitable pallet being employed to co-operate inusual manner with the escape-wheel. As the armature is attracted, thepinion f, ratchetwheel f and escape-wheel f are revolved, therebyretarding its movement; but said armature upon being retracted by theaction of the retractile spring 51 simply turns the pinion f and theratchet-wheel f in the opposite direction. This retarding device enablesthe armature to be retracted freely or quickly and attracted slowly. Y

In Fig. 8 the retarding device is shown on the locking projection 0instead of on the armature 6, yet substantially the same results areproduced.

When it is desired to transmit the fire-alarm signal, the armature 6*being normally attracted and occupying the position shown in Fig. 1, andthe locking-lever e otf from the projection 6 the starting-lever b islifted, as above described, its outer end raising the spring (I, causingthe locking-lever e to move farther toward the left until the arm 2fixed to the shaft 6, is moved sufficiently to disengage the pin t" ofthe escape-wheel a thereby releasing the motor mechanism. As the trainof wheel-work revolves, the lever 1) is further raised by the inclinedface of the flanges b A pin3 is secured to the wheel a which, it will beunderstood, makes four complete revolutions while the driving-wheel ormakes one-half of a revolution, and as the said pin returns to itsnormal position on the completion of the fourth revolution it strikes apin 4 on the prop c and returns the latter to its normal position, sothat as the parts all resume their normal position the starting-leverwill also return to itsnormal position. An arm n is secured to or formsa part of the locking-lever e, and by the pin 2 the downward movement ofthe starting-lever strikes the top of said arm n and depresses it,thereby restoring the lever c to its normal position just as thestarting-lever resumes its normal position. If, however, when theactuatinglever is moved a signal is being transmitted from another box,the armature e will be found retracted, as shown in Fig. 8, or thelocking projection e retracted, as shown in Fig. 3, and as thestarting-lever is lifted the prop 0 will be moved toward the left by theaction of the spring, as indicated by the dotted line, Fig. 1, and fulllines, Fig. 3. The spring (1 allows the starting-lever to be lifted, asdescribed, even though the locking-levere is held in a fixed position,owing to its elasticity. \Vith the parts in this position the train willbe held by the locking-lever e, which is engaged and held by theprojection e As soon as the signal from the remote box has beencompleted or the condition of the circuit has been restored a sufficientlength of time for the armature to be attracted or for the projection eto resume its normal position the said projection a will release thelever e, and the latter being moved away by the stored-up action of thespring d, raised or strain-ed abnormally by the elevated startinglever,will effect the release of the train in the mannerbefore describet. Itwill thus be seen that if the actuating-lever is operated to lift thestarting-lever while another signal is being transmitted the mechanismwill be set ready to be released as soon as the signal from the remotebox has been completed.

In Fig-7 I have shown the prop or holder for the starting-lever aspivoted to the frame and co-operating with a shoulder or pin on thestarting -lever substantially the reverse of that shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

Vhile I herein define the holder for the starting-lever as a prop, Idesire it to be understood that I consider as an equivalent thereforanything which will hold the starting or actuating lever in its abnormalposition to set the train in readiness to run as soon as released, andthereby requiring no further action on the part of the operator.

I claim- 1. In a signal-box, the motor mechanism,

starting-lever, and actuating-lever, combinedv with the plate having theshoulder 50, and the spring-controlled prop on the starting-lever, saidprop when the starting-lever is lifted by the actuating-lever resting onthe shoulder and holding the starting-lever in elevated position,substantially as described.

2. In a signal-box, the motor mechanism, starting-lever, andactuating-lever, combined with the shouldered plate and with aspringcontrolled prop c normally resting at one side of said shoulder,but resting on the top of the shoulder to hold the starting-leverinelevated position when lifted by the actuating-lever, and a pin on oneof the wheels of the train for restoring said prop to its normalposition, substantially as described.

3. In a signal-box, motor mechanism and starting-lever, combined with aprop for said lever and a locking-lever moved by said starting-lever,substantially as described.

4:. In a signal-box, motor mechanism and starting-lever, combined with aprop for said lever and a locking-lever moved by and elasticallyconnected with said starting-lever, substantially as described.

5. In a signal-box, a signaling-train, a noninterference magnet, and itsarmature, combined with a locking-lever for the signalingtrain which isrestrained from movement by the said armature when the latter isretracted, a spring to exert a tension on said lockinglever, and a leverseparate from the armature for moving the spring to effect the movementof the said locking-lever in one direction when not restrained by thesaid armature, substantially as described.

.6. In a signal-box, a signaling-train, a noninterference magnet, itsarmature, and alocking device moved by the armature, combined with alocking-lever for the signaling-train, With which the locking devicemoved by the armature co-operates, and an actuating-lever for exerting atension on the locking-lever by which it is moved when not engaged or assoon as released by the said locking device, substantially as described.

7. In a signal-box, the motor mechanism, starting-lever andactuatinglever, the non-interference magnet, and its armature having theprojection e combined with the lockinglever having the spring acted uponby the starting-lever, said locking-lever co-operatin g with the saidprojection, substantially as described.

8. In a signal-box, the motor mechanism, starting-lever andactuating-lever, the non-interference magnet, its armature, and theretarding device, substantially as described, therefor, combined withthe locking-lever e, acted upon by the starting-lever and co-operatingwith the projection e on the said armature, the arm 2', and pin 2',substantially as described.

9. In a signal-box, the motor mechanism, starting-lever andactuating-lever, the noninterference magnet 6 and its armature havingthe locking projection, combined With the locking-lever e, the arm nthereon, and the spring (Z, substantially as described.

10. In a signal-box, the motor mechanism, starting-lever, andactuating-lever, combined with the non-interference magnet 6 itsarmature, the locking projection 6 the retarding device, thelocking-lever, the spring cl, at tached to the said lever and acted uponby the starting-lever, the arm a, and pin 1'', sub stantially asdescribed.

11. In a signal-box, a motor mechanism, starting-lever having thespring-controlled dog 0 the actuating-lever for the startinglever, andthe notched plate, combined with the non-interference magnet, itsarmature, the retarding device, substantially as described, combinedwith the locking projection on the said armature, and the locking-leveracted upon by the starting-lever and cooperating with the said lockingprojection, substantially as described.

12. In a signal-box, the motor mechanism, starting-lever, thenon-interference magnet, and its armature, combined with a threearmedlever, one of the arms of which controls the operation of the motormechanism, another arm of which is elastic and is engaged by thestarting-lever or LQtI1tl10l,iit11Cl the other arm of which is engagedby a projection moved by the armature of the noninterference magnet,substantially as described.

13. In a signaLbeX, a motor mechanism, a non-interference magnet and itsarmature, and a locking-lever for said motor mechanism, controlled bysaid armature, combined with a starting-lever elastically connected withand to move said locking-lever, and a prop for said starting-lever,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FREDERICK W. COLE.

Witnesses:

Bnmvron J. NoYEs, EMMA J. BENNETT.

